Hayden schools receive $200,000 in grant money

Steamboat Springs — The Hayden School District has some big plans for the $200,000 it has been awarded by the state, including installing new public address systems, clocks and an advanced key system.

“It will allow us to do, all in one lump, the things that would have had to be spread out over years,” said Hayden School District Superintendent Mike Luppes.

“We’re really pleased that we’re going to be able to address these things that have been put off for a while,” said Hayden High School Principal Troy Zabel. “I think it’s money well-spent.”

Zabel said the school district would not have been able to make the improvements without the funds administered by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. The money is part of the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program, which assists communities by offsetting the effects of energy and mineral development.

Zabel said the district plans to purchase clocks that will keep accurate time similar to atomic clocks.

“I don’t think we have a clock in the whole building that shows the same time,” Zabel said.

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PA systems at the elementary and high schools are old and unreliable, Zabel said. Announcements in the middle school have to be made from the high school.

“You have to stand just right and jiggle the microphone,” Zabel said.

Having a working PA system is important in case the school needs to make emergency announcements, he said.

“As far as emergency situations, we’ve been lucky that we haven’t had any situations since I’ve been here,” Zabel said.

The money also will allow the district to re-key locks. It should also cover swipe-card entry systems on exterior doors. Using swipe cards will make it easy for the district to change the locks, Zabel said. Now, there is a system for checking out keys, but keys were lost, he said.

“We have keys out there that aren’t accounted for, and that gives people access to the building who shouldn’t have access, and that’s a big life safety issue,” Zabel said.

Plans also include improvements to elementary school sidewalks.

Barbara Kirkmeyer, executive director of the Department of Local Affairs, said the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance program provides valuable service to Colorado.

The funds come, in part, from a state severance tax on energy and minerals as well as the state’s share of royalties paid to federal government for the extraction of minerals and mineral fuels on federally owned lands.